Wire-stay-weaving device



(No Model.)

0 A WILLMARTH WIRE STAY WEAVING DEVICE.

No 599,413. Patented Feb. 22,1898.

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Wt RE -ST'AY WEAVlNG DEVlCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,413, dated February22, 1898. Application filed July 26, 1897. Serial No. 645,949. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. YVILLMARTH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Sand Hill, in the county ofWayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in IVire-Stay-NVcaving Devices, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accom panyingdrawings.

The principal features of my invention are the means provided forengaging the device with the fence-Wires and supporting it thereonduring the operation of weaving; further, the devices for tensiouing thereel carrying the stay-wire and in the construction of a spacing devicewhereby the same forms an accessory of the weaving device, all as morefully hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings, in which- Figure1 is a perspective view of my weaving device shown engaged upon afence-wire as in the act of weaving the stay. Fig. 2 is a top plan viewof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on line w 00 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is anend elevation. Fig. 5 is a detached side elevation of the accessoryspacing-bar.

A is a spring-frame formed with two overlapping ends B and C, in each ofwhich is formed an L-shaped slot in such manner that when the twoadjacent sides of the springframe are pressed together by the hand ofthe operator, as shown in Fig. 4-, the stem or in leading portions ofthe L-slots coincide and thereby permit of engaging the frame at thisend (the tail end of the device) upon the fence-wire and by releasingthe pressure lock the wire into the oppositely-extending offsets of theslots. The frame may be formed in any manner obtaining this end.Preferably I form it of one piece of sheet-steel bent into therectangular form shown.

In the front end of the device is located a reel D, upon which the wireis wound for forming the stays. This reel is composed of two disksunited together by a hollow hub, and the shaft F, which carries thereel, passes loosely through it and the reel is made fast to it by meansof a spring-pin G, extending transversely through the shaft and reel.

The shaft F is journaled transversely in suitable apertures in the sidesof the frame and has projecting ends, one of which is screwthreaded andcarries the nut H and the other has an aperture for the insertion of asuitable crank-handle to turn the reel for the purpose of winding thewire onto the reel.

The front end of the frame has formed in it an open slot K for engagingit with the fencewire, and to one side of it is formed an eye L for thepassage of the stay-wire, the eye being in line with the reel.

The parts being constructed and arranged as shown and described they areintended to operate as follows: By screwing on the nut II the shaft F(being loose in its bearings) is drawn laterally and carrying the reelwith it by means of the spring-pin G draws the latter against the insideof the frame, and, further, screwing on of the nut puts the springpin Gunder tension. This tension acts 011 the reel, and it can be thus easilyregulated by means of the nut H. I preferably interpose a washer Ibetween the reel and the frame, and this makes the tension more uniform.

The weaving on of the stay-wires is accomplished with my machine in thesame manner as with machines of similar character, but it has theadvantage that during the act of weaving my machine cannot becomeaccidentally disengaged from the fence-wire, as the L'slots in theoverlapping ends of the frame firmly lock this end of the machine to thefence-wire, the other end being held onto the wire by the tension of thestay-wire. In some other machines it will be seen that the tension ofthe stay-wire in weaving continually tends to disengage the opposite endof the machine from the fence-wire, and thus if the stay-wire is put onwith considerable tension the operator has to expend force to hold hismachine to the fence-wire, which greatly detracts from his speed inweaving.

In such machines which clamp upon the fence-wire the machine requiressome force to engage it with and disengage it from the fence-wire,(provided the clamp is efficient enough,) and the operator accomplishesthis by a violent pull or push, as the case maybe, and as a result thefence-wires are so harshly used that the fence is imperfect. Besides,

some speed is lost. In my machine the locking and unlocking produces nostrain on the fence-Wire neither does it detract the slight est from thespeed with which the stay-wires can be woven on, and the fatigue on theoperator is greatly lessened. Another advantage is the even tension withwhich my reel works and the simplicity of its construction and nicetywith which it adjusts.

I also provide a spacing-bar which forms an accessory to the weavingdevice in the following way:

The spacing-bar M is provided its whole length with perforations a forthe purpose of adjustably securing thereto at desired intervals thewire-guides I), provided with open slots 0, adapted to engagethefence-wires and hold them apart in weaving on the stays. Thesewire-guides are adj ustably secured to the bar by bolts d, and a flangee on the rear edge holds the guides from turning on the bar. Above thetopmost of the wire-guides is pivotally secured a locking-dog N, whichhas a locking-arm farranged in such manner that when the dog is thrownrearwardly into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 it will lock thespacing-bar to the top of the fence and prevent it from becomingaccidentally disengaged from the fence-wires in weaving. Thisspacing-bar assists in the weaving in the following manner: In beginningwith a new stay on top (the spacing-bar being moved into the newposition and the spring-frame engaged with the top fence wire in closeproximity thereto) the free end 0 of the staywire is engaged into theslot of the top wireguide of the spacing-bar, and the locking-dog isthrown into the position shown in Fig. 1. The end of the stay-wire isthus held fast while the weaving device is given one or more turnsaround the fence-wire to form the locking-coil 19. If the weaving deviceis then resecond wire, (in which position it is shown in Fig. 1,) thestrain caused by pulling it ofi cannot disengage the spacing-bar, as thelatter is held in position by the dog, and subsequently, after thestay-wire is coiled upon the second fence-wire, the tension of thefinished portion of the stay holds the spacingbar firmly enough toprevent it from being accidentally disengaged.

What I claim as my invention.is-

1. In a stay-wire-weaving device of the character described, a framecomprising two spring side bars, an end bar uniting the side bars at oneend and having an open slot for engagement with a fence-wire, and twooverlapping ends on the opposite ends of the side bars and provided withL-shaped slots adapted to engage the fence-wire and lock the framethereto.

2. In a stay-wire-weaving device, the combination of a frame formed withtwo spring side bars and two end bars,one uniting the side bars at oneend and provided with a slot for the fence-wire and an eye for thestay-wire, and the other formed by the free ends of the side barsoverlapping each other and provided with L-shaped slots, a shaft looselyjournaled in the side bars transversely of the frame, a reel looselymounted upon said shaft and secured thereto by a spring-pin passingthrough the reel and shaft, and means for frictionally clamping the reelto one of the side bars.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. WILLMARTH.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, OTTO F. BARTHEL.

